8 Cheap Ways to Move Across the Country

Cheapest ways to move across the country

The cheapest way to move across the country is typically a DIY move using a rented truck, especially if you pack yourself and minimize lodging and food costs. However, depending on how much you’re moving, shipping boxes or flying with only essentials can be even cheaper.

Here’s a rank of the different ways to move across the country from cheapest to most expensive:

1. Fly or take a bus with only essentials
2. Ship boxes instead of renting a truck
3. Rent a moving truck (DIY move)
4. Hitch a trailer to your vehicle
5. Rent a van
6. Use a freight service
7. Use a portable moving container
8. Hire local labor-only movers (as an add-on cost)

1. Rent a moving truck

One of the best ways to save money on a move is to rent a moving truck and do the move yourself. By going the DIY route, you can avoid the high costs of hiring a moving company and have more control over your move.

ConsumerAffairs Senior Deputy Editor Cassidy McCants’ DIY move from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Seattle in 2021 cost about $1,800, including U-Haul rental, gas and lodging.

Money-saving tips:

• U-Haul charges per mile, and bigger trucks cost more. Pack efficiently — using all available space and securing items tightly to prevent damage — so you can rent a smaller truck.
• Compare prices from multiple companies and ask about discounts for AAA members, military personnel, students and other groups.
• Read the rental agreement carefully to understand all fees and charges.

» MORE: How much does a moving truck cost?

2. Rent a van

A passenger van can be a more comfortable alternative to a traditional moving truck, especially if you’re bringing pets.

When McCants moved back to Tulsa a year later, she rented a 12-passenger van, which cost about $2,700. “Packing it was tough,” she said, “but the dog was happy. And it was more comfortable (than a U-Haul) for the humans too.”

You might also consider a Sprinter van. It'll be more expensive than a passenger van, but you can sleep in it. Van-camping is a cheap alternative to hotels or motels, and you can pack your own food to save even more money.

Pro tip: Don’t ship your car

It may be tempting to ship your car across the country. Maybe your vehicle is unreliable. Or maybe you’re moving alone (you can't drive your car and a rental truck simultaneously).

You should know this is expensive. Expect to pay between 53 cents and $2.30 per mile. On the high end, that’s a $6,382.50 cost to ship your car from New York to Los Angeles.

Instead, consider towing your car behind the truck (see option No. 5).

3. Use a portable moving container

Portable storage containers are another affordable way to move out of state. A rental company delivers a large storage unit to your home, you load it up, and then the company transports your belongings across the country.

Get a container that fits all your things but isn’t so big you’re paying for unused space.

Another ConsumerAffairs employee, Ryan Glanzer, moved from Minneapolis to Austin, Texas, in June 2011 on a tight budget (at the time). “All truck rentals were so much more expensive than I expected, which is why we went the PODS route. We were very poor at that time, and our entire budget for the move was literally $1,500.”

Overall, people have mixed experiences with moving container companies. For instance, one ConsumerAffairs reviewer, Lucas in Arizona, called U-Haul U-Boxes the “worst experience ever” due to communication failures, delays and unexpected fees. But John in Tennessee praised the service as “pleasant and hassle-free.”

4. Use a freight service

With a freight service, a company delivers a large freight trailer to your home. You fill the trailer yourself (or hire labor to load it) over a certain number of days. The company then attaches the trailer to a truck and drops it off at your new home.

With this moving method, you typically pay by space used rather than weight, which can be cost-effective if you have a lot to move. It typically costs between $1,800 and $3,000, depending on distance and trailer space used.

5. Hitch a trailer to your vehicle

Towing a car on a trailer behind your moving truck can save you money on gas and prevent delays.

ConsumerAffairs Public Relations Manager Rebecca Sowell moved from South Carolina to Chicago in March 2022 for about $1,200 total. “I was surprised by how inexpensive it was to add the trailer — I think it was only about $90 total,” she said.

In hindsight, Sowell wishes she had started off towing a car behind the U-Haul instead of driving two cars plus a U-Haul. She originally thought driving separate vehicles would be cheaper, but it led to more gas trips and longer delays (including a flat tire).

6. Ship boxes instead of renting a truck

If you don't have furniture or other large items to move, shipping what you need to your new home might be cheaper than renting a truck, especially once fuel costs are factored in.

You can use FedEx, UPS or the U.S. Postal Service. For bigger items, consider shipping your furniture separately for added convenience.

Pro tip

Pack hand soap, dish soap, cleaners, paper towels, toilet paper and other essentials you’ll need immediately. Having these items stocked in your new home right away makes the transition much smoother.

» COMPARE: Best movers for small moves

7. Hire local labor-only movers

Moving during the off-season or on a weekday can lower costs.

You don't have to hire full-service movers for the entire move. Instead, rent a truck yourself and hire local movers only to help with the heavy lifting at your departure or arrival location.

For example, Sowell hired a local moving company only to get boxes and furniture into her new third-story walk-up apartment in Chicago, which had no elevator. “We didn't need movers in Charleston because we had elevator access and got help from some really strong people,” she said. (They were two ex-Marines.)

Ryan Glanzer took a similar approach: “We packed the pod ourselves with the help of a random dude off Craigslist for $75.”

8. Fly (or take a bus) with only essentials

Are you only moving with clothes and small personal items? Flying to your new city and then buying furniture and other household items from IKEA or Facebook Marketplace might be your most affordable option, especially if you’re not bringing a car.

If you're on a really tight budget, consider taking a Greyhound bus for even cheaper travel. The biggest downside is that it will take days instead of hours to reach your new location. You can also explore Greyhound Package Express or Amtrak Express Shipping for your belongings.

When is the cheapest time to move?

Mike Harvey, managing director of 1st Move International, an international shipper, explained, “Moving is expensive — don’t get me wrong — but I believe moving across the country between September and November is the best time of year to do it for many reasons, including the price.”

Try to move in the middle of the month or on a weekday, if possible, when there’s less competition.

Summer is the most expensive time to move. Families are getting settled before the new school year, and college students are making their treks away from home.

How much does it cost to move cross-country?

Going the DIY route seems to cost most people between $2,000 and $3,000, including gas and lodging.

ConsumerAffairs Director of Content Alexis Curls spent $2,308 on a DIY move from Florida to Colorado in 2023. Juan Lucero, a business intelligence analyst at ConsumerAffairs, spent about $3,000 on a DIY move from Houston to Denver in July 2021.

With professional moving services, it costs between $6,000 and $10,500 to move a three-bedroom home cross-country. However, gathering multiple quotes is still the most accurate way to get context for what your move should cost.

The main factors that are going to impact your total cost to move cross-country include:

• Distance
• Weight and volume of items
• Time of year
• Moving method
• Packing and additional services
• Location accessibility

Shipping vs. renting a truck

Shipping boxes is usually cheaper if you’re moving clothes, electronics and small personal items without furniture. Renting a truck is often more cost-effective if you’re moving large furniture, appliances or multiple rooms of belongings.

Shipping works best for minimalist moves because you avoid fuel costs, hotel stays and truck rental fees. But once you start shipping heavy furniture or dozens of boxes, costs can rise quickly.

Long-distance moving quotes for a three-bedroom home

A full-service moving company can help with packing and unpacking in addition to transporting your things for you. This is generally the most expensive way to go about a cross-country move, but it can significantly simplify the process if you have the money on hand.

Especially for high-cost relocations like these, it’s important to get quotes from several cross-country movers.

» RELATED: Top long-distance moving companies

What’s the cheapest way to move across the country for me?

If you’re struggling to figure out which moving method will be cheapest for you, here are a few sample situations and the cheapest option for each.

Hidden costs of moving cross-country

Even the cheapest cross-country move can come with unexpected expenses. Planning for these hidden costs ahead of time can help you avoid blowing your budget.

• Fuel and mileage: Gas is one of the biggest variable expenses in a long-distance move. Rental trucks typically get poor gas mileage, and companies often charge per mile, which can add up quickly over long distances.
• Lodging and food: If your move takes multiple days, you’ll likely need to budget for hotels and meals. Sleeping in your vehicle and packing food can help cut these costs, but they’re still easy to underestimate.
• Packing supplies: Boxes, tape, bubble wrap and furniture pads can get expensive if you buy everything new. Even small purchases add up quickly.
• Insurance and coverage: Basic coverage from rental truck companies may not fully protect your belongings. Additional insurance or protection plans can increase your total cost.
• Fees and surcharges: Many companies charge extra for things like fuel, late returns, additional drivers or equipment rentals. Moving container companies may also charge delivery and pickup fees.
• Delays and timing issues: Delays with containers or freight services can lead to extra lodging, storage or replacement item costs if your belongings don’t arrive on time.
• Storage costs: If your new home isn’t ready, you may need short-term storage. This is especially common with container or freight moves and can add hundreds of dollars to your total.
• Replacing or repairing items: Items can get lost or damaged during a long-distance move. Replacing essentials, even small ones, can add unexpected costs.

Mistakes that increase moving costs

Waiting until the last minute to book, moving during peak season and forgetting to factor in travel costs may seem minor, but making these mistakes could cost you in the long run. Here are a few things you want to avoid if you’re looking to move as cheaply as possible.

• Wait too long to book
• Move during peak season
• Overpacking
• Not comparing quotes from different moving/rental companies
• Underestimating your fuel and travel expenses
• Choosing the wrong truck or container size

How to move across the country cheaply

Planning as much as you can as early as you can helps keep your move within budget and stress-free — or, at least, less stressful. These steps will help you get your belongings to your new home without going over your moving budget.

1. Declutter your things

Take inventory of your belongings and lighten the load wherever possible. Purging larger items you no longer need not only simplifies your space and life but also saves you money on moving costs. The less you have to pack and transport, the more you'll cut costs on moving day.

Don’t pay to move things you don’t really want, need or use.

For nonsentimental items, consider this strategy: Sell them where you are and replace them where you’re going.

It’s often cheaper to sell, give away or throw away bulky items and replace them at your destination than to pay long-distance movers to transport them. You can find great deals on Facebook Marketplace or other secondhand sites after you arrive.

Consider a garage sale if you want to try to make some cash, or donate to a local charity if you’ve got items in good condition you just don’t need anymore.

2. Find free moving supplies

Rather than buying moving boxes from a retailer, visit grocery stores, liquor stores and bookstores to find boxes they’re recycling anyway. Liquor stores are especially good for sturdy boxes.

More creative packing materials

• Use clothes, towels and blankets as cushioning instead of buying bubble wrap.
• Wrap fragile items like glassware, dishes and decorative pieces in your linens. This saves money and packing space since you're protecting two categories of items at once.
• Remember that packing tape from a discount shop works just as well as tape from high-end retailers.

3. Accept help

Don’t be shy about accepting assistance when it makes sense. Whether your family offers to help you pack or a friend wants to donate frequent flyer miles for your trip, graciously say yes.

If you're moving solo in a rental truck, think about which friends might enjoy a road trip and split driving duties with you.

Remember, getting help doesn't mean you're not capable. It just means you're smart enough to make your move easier and more budget-friendly.

» MORE: How to make a moving checklist

Cheapest vs. easiest ways to move cross-country

The cheapest way to move across the country is to handle everything yourself, but that typically isn’t the easiest option. DIY options like renting a moving truck, shipping boxes or flying with only essentials can save thousands of dollars compared with hiring professional movers.

The easiest way to move cross-country is typically hiring full-service movers. While it’s much more expensive, full-service moving companies handle packing, loading, transportation and unloading for you.

Here’s how cheap and easy moving options compare:

FAQ

Bottom line

Moving takes a toll on the mind, body and wallet, even when it’s for an exciting life change. But there are ways to make the process easier, including finding savings and sticking to a moving budget.

Handling the move yourself with just the bare essentials is one of the cheapest ways to move across a long distance. If you want to move your things yourself, make sure to shop around to find the cheapest truck rental option. These rentals are typically reasonably priced through companies like U-Haul and Budget Truck Rental, and most of these companies offer one-way rental trucks.

» MORE: Moving yourself vs. hiring movers